Awakening
by BlackBrisaJega
Summary: Liz and Red are on the run from the FBI that seems to be very close on their heels. Both of them struggle with their feelings towards each other. While Red can't accept any affection from her, thinking he's failed her, Liz is confused about how deep she really cares about him. -Slowburn Lizzington for all my FB Lizzington shipper-homies!:D This is going to be a multi-chapter story.
1. The small things

Hey everyone, this is my first fanfiction EVER … so I'm really excited to publish it now. I hope you like it! :)

Disclaimer: I don't owe anything about 'The Blacklist', neither the characters nor the storyline!

 **\- AWAKENING -**

 **Chapter 01 - The small things**

"Lizzie, wake up! Now!"

She immediately awoke with a start and stared into Red's face, hovering over hers, his hands holding onto her shoulders.

"Red, what's going on?" she asked with a drowsy voice while he helped her get up from the pallet she had been sleeping on.

"Get your things. We have to leave. Please be fast." He rushed past her, heading for the open door. Judging from the lights that were shining into the little cellar they had slept in the last few days, a car was idling outside, ready to take them away. Still feeling a bit groggy from the rude awakening, she bent down and grabbed for her blanket and bag, and headed for the door. She could already feel a slight headache starting to crawl up her skull.

Red stood outside talking to a man she recognized from the day they had arrived at their makeshift lodgings. She felt little drops on her cheekbone and her nose. It had just started to rain, according to the still-dry ground.

"It has to be done quickly and accurately. All evidence that we were here has to be eliminated. Have I made myself clear?"

"Of course, Raymond," the man answered, handing him the keys for the car. "There are several cellphones in the car as well as enough food and water for about two days as well as a first aid box," he added.

Red took the keys from him and noticed Lizzie standing in the doorway. "Thank you Nathaniel," he said, patting him slightly on the back. "Are you ready?" he asked, looking over at Lizzie, who was stepping aside to let Nathaniel in.

He gave her a small nod which she replied: "Yes, I'm ready."

She walked around the car to take her place in the passenger seat. Red had already started the engine and so they drove into the night.

Red didn't wait for her to ask him what was going on. "Somehow the FBI got a lead on where we were just hiding. Dembe called me half an hour ago, so I informed Nathaniel that we had to leave immediately. Fortunately he's always well prepared in case of need… are you okay, Lizzie?" He looked at her with a sideways glance. "Your hands are shaking."

She was staring out the front of the car, running a shaky hand through her hair. She still wasn't quite accustomed to how dull the strands felt after she had dyed them blonde. Angling sideways in her seat, she faced him. "Yeah, everything's alright, Red. I'm just a little bit…overwhelmed, I think. But I guess storming off like this is most likely going to become a new habit while we are on the run…" she stated resignedly.

He frowned slightly. "As much as I want to deny that, it's the truth. We have to be very cautious, especially since we haven't even left the country yet."

Lizzie simply nodded at that. This was her life now; unstable, rushed and off the wall. She had become the sort of criminal she used to chase over the last two years. Not quite an improvement. Her eyes wandered to her blurred reflection in the side mirror as she sat properly again. The face staring back at her wasn't hers anymore. She wondered how Red had managed to live that way for so many years without losing himself. The headache that had announced itself earlier had completely engulfed her head by now. Maybe losing oneself was the presumption to live a life like him. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. She owed this man so much and yet she hardly knew him.

"I'm sorry!"

All of a sudden, Red broke her train of thought and she turned her face to look at him properly. "Red, you don't have to apologize for waking me up in the middle of the night. I know it's just for our -"

"I'm not talking about that," he cut her off.

She stared at him, not really sure how to reply to that, so she remained silent and so did he. She just looked at him steadily, asking herself what was going on inside of the thick, solid armor that called itself Raymond Reddington.

They fell into a more or less comfortable silence. She listened to the raindrops that were now thundering onto the car. It was somehow soothing her. She relaxed deep into her seat and looked outside into the dark night.

"Red?"

There was a pause. "Yes?"

"Is this your real name?" she asked, elongating her seat belt to lean against her door while watching him inquiringly.

Red's eyebrow twitched and he briefly glanced at her, only to switch his view back to the night-darkened road. The tiniest smile came across his face.

"I always wondered if Raymond Reddington was your real name - I mean, your birth name." She watched him intently, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"What do you think, Lizzie?" he asked, apparently quite amused by her question.

"Mhh, well, according to the life you have lived one should assume that you changed your name many times, but the whole world, criminal and otherwise, knows you under Red Reddington… so somehow I really believe that this is your true name." She watched him, focused. He just smiled.  
"…So?" She encouraged him to answer.

"I don't see why this could be relevant, Lizzie."

"Oh Red, come on. Why is it that you are obviously not capable of answering a simple question with a yes or a no?" she asked, slightly whining.

"You should know by now that I really enjoy playing games, Lizzie!" He grinned at her, glancing her way briefly.

She was smiling too, now.

"Okay, so let's play that game," she challenged. "What could I possibly do or say to make you answer my question?"

"What about answering a personal question in return?" he offered after a pause.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. "Okay, deal. Go ahead!" she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest and looking at him expectantly.

He looked at her and for a split second he met her gaze. He then turned his eyes back to the road.

"Are you still in love with Tom?"

Her smile faded. "I don't think that this is an appropriate question…"

"A question for a question, that was the deal. You made no restrictions if I remember correctly." he said in all innocence.

She remained silent and stared at her fingernails.

"…I don't know," she whispered finally. "There is something in me that still wants to believe… I… I think I miss my former life. My life as a woman that wondered about inane thinks like what she should have for dinner, when her last appointment at the dentist was, or what she should get her husband for his birthday." She closed her eyes. "And Tom… Tom still reminds me of that life, even though I know that for him it was just a job. But… I somehow still find myself hoping that there was something real about our relationship. I still can't disengage myself from that." Her voice was slightly hoarse. She swallowed hard and then looked back in Red's direction and was quite surprised. He looked sad - just as if he himself were hurting - and avoided meeting her gaze.

"Lizzie… I'm sorry, I really shouldn't have asked…"

"No, no Red it's okay… Maybe it's good to bring this up to me again and again, so that I can finally stop living in the past. My life changed… changed a lot, and I have to deal with it!" she said confidently. "And," she added gently. "I fortunately have some kind of strange, annoying, nerve-racking guardian that keeps me safe." She smiled at him encouragingly. He still looked a bit depressed but she could see how the corner of his mouth turned up slightly.

"We should talk about your choice of words, Miss Keen," he said after a few moments, and then looked at her in a very disarming way. She smiled.

"It's your turn now, Red!"

"Yes," he said simply.

She waited a beat. "Yes, what?"

"Well, yes!"

"Red, seriously?"

"Well, I don't recall agreeing that we have to elaborate on our answers. I even heard you say something about 'a simple yes or no.'"

She looked at him like she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Okay, now I really need an aspirin!" Leaning back again she closed her eyes.

Red turned to look at her, still smiling though it didn't really reach his eyes. Everything that made her feel miserable had happened because of him: Tom, her suppressed memories, being on the run, her changed appearance. She suffered. She suffered from the unwanted help he forced on her. He would never forgive himself for ruining the life of one of the only human beings he really cared about.

Lizzie fell into a slight slumber. The next time she opened her eyes the car was standing still. She could see the light of dawn crawling over the horizon like lava melting away solid stone. The rain had passed on. When she stretched, she could see Red's silhouette a few steps away from the car. They were stopped in a cutout of the road that was surrounded by a few trees and bushes. In front of a small bench, on which he leaned his back against, was a fence that separated the cutout from a steep meadow. About two dozen sheep were grazing or lying on the grass. When Liz opened her door he didn't move. The cold air tingled on her skin and for the second time that night she was immediately, fully, awake. She slowly walked over to Red's side. He was watching the sunrise, which made the whole world appear to be orange, even the sheep that every now and then raised their heads to look over at the two intruders of their solitude. Liz mirrored Red's position and leaned on the back of the bench right next to him. He turned his head to look at her.

"Did you sleep well, Lizzie? I decided to not wake you when I stopped the car. After all, I already woke you once this night." He smiled at her apologetically. "Is your head still hurting? I found some pain killers in the trunk," he added, making a nodding motion towards the car.

"No thanks, it's almost gone." She answered him without turning her gaze away from the sunrise.  
"How long have you been standing here?" she asked.

"About fifteen to twenty minutes. I find it quite appealing to have a chance to just watch the beauty of nature. Unfortunately it's very rare that I get the time to enjoy the small things in life."

She turned her head to meet his gaze. "Sounds quite… sad," she said slowly, turning her head back to the meadow.

"Oh Lizzie believe me, it's not as sad as it sounds. I've actually learned to appreciate moments like this."

She smiled. "Well then I can add a positive effect to being a wanted criminal to my agenda," she half asked, half stated while watching two sheep that seemed to be playing tag.

Red gave a small laugh at this. "Well, everything depends on how we look at things, doesn't it?" he said, while readjusting his position on the bench's back. While moving, his hand grazed hers in the slightest way possible.

She intently watched him when he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Yes, right," she admits slowly. "…do you already have a favorite?" she asked incoherently.

He opened his eyes, raised his brows and looked at her inquiringly. She motioned slightly towards the sheep with her head. "I mean your little friends over there. You've shared at least twenty minutes with them," she stated quite amusedly.

"Mhhh, coincidentally I do already have a favorite. You see that little one over there?" She followed his arm gesture and saw a baby lamb playing around his mother, who seemed not even the tiniest bit bothered by the behavior of her child. "It seems to be a latecomer for this time of the year, but look at how full of life the little guy is!" He smiled at the sight of the lambkin nudging another lamb that had grazed comfortably until it was disturbed by the little thing.

Lizzie had already stopped watching the lambkin and instead stared intently at Red while he gazed at the field. He really did seem to be more relaxed. Some of the crinkles around his eyes were gone and he smiled a real, true smile. She was constantly surprised at how he loved the small things that seemed so unremarkable upon first glance. He truly did have two completely different sides: the one that was hard, cold and calculating… and that other side that was soft and loving that he so rarely showed. She returned to watching the sheep and suddenly found her personal favorite from amongst them.

"You see that one sheep over there, the one that is standing to the side of the drove?" Red followed her gaze. "That is my favorite."

Lizzie raised her hand towards the one, single, black sheep. "It doesn't really fit in, but I think that's why I like it," she said, while slowly dropping her hand back to the bench and next to his. She smiled.

After giving the black sheep a quick glance, Red focused on Lizzie. He watched how the light of the rising sun illuminated her face and made her blonde hair appear nearly like a golden glow. He just looked at her, trying to memorize this particular moment. During the months before going on the run, he had rarely seen her smile and aside from talking about what was absolutely necessary they didn't talk much at all. Most of the time she was more than angry with him and he couldn't even resent her for that. Now she was acting in a completely different way around him. Since her memories from that fateful night had been triggered, she seemed to really appreciate his presence. But nevertheless this should not have happened; not yet, not now, even if relations between them seemed to have enhanced. But that had never been the plan. He would have preferred her to be forever angry with him, to loathe him, if only it would have ensured her safety. But now they were here, on the run, and more intimate than ever. He wrenched his gaze from her and continued to watch the black sheep.

"I like this," Liz stated, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I mean this, us, just being here and talking like two normal human beings. I know the situation we're in couldn't be more bizarre and frightening, but I really appreciate that I'm not alone right now; that you are here with me. And I want to thank you… for helping me, for protecting me. Not just now, but all the time." She tried to avoid meeting his gaze and stared at the ground. "I'm sorry. I think I'm really exhausted; I'm getting emotional," she laughed, raising her head to smile at him.

He met her gaze but didn't return her smile immediately. His cheek twitched underneath his left eye before he slowly lifted the corners of his mouth to give her a bitter smile. "You are welcome, Lizzie," he quietly said, his voice dropping in pitch.

Liz instantly noticed his bitterness. She knew him well enough to know that he blamed himself for the whole situation. Her smile faded. "Red, it was me who pulled the trigger, not you. Now and then! You should not blame yourself for things you have no influence over because you're not responsible for every misfortune that ever happened to me. You really do deserve my gratitude, Red." She carefully laid her hand over his but he immediately withdrew it. "Oh Red, come on. We already had this conversation," she stated in an angry tone. "Don't you dare think that you don't deserve any… any friendliness at all! You are so damn self-destructive."

"We should drive on; it's quite a trip until we reach our new safe house," Red said, taking a few steps towards the car.

She stared after him, her mouth dropping open in disbelief. "…really, Red? This is how you choose to handle that there might be someone who does not entirely loathe you? …you are incredible!" She whispered the last part wearily.

He looked back at her. Gone was the previous rare moment of fondness - now she was angry again; even disappointed. 'It's better like this,' he thought to himself. She should concentrate on their escape and not on how he felt.

He slowly walked to the driver's door and sat down on his seat. Lizzie was still leaning against the bench. Suddenly she was freezing and she made her way back to the car. Silently, she sat down next to Red. When he started the engine, she could again see the black sheep that was about to part itself even more from its drove.

TBC

Thanks for reading. The next chapter is in progress! :)


	2. Reality

Hey guys, thanks for being so nice in your reviews. Of course I try to continue writing as much in character as my mind is capable of! :-) I have to thank my two FB Lizzington friends Meaghan and Janine for being my beta and evaluator for this story! :-* I aspire to publish a chapter a week. Don't know if I can stand that but for now I have enough ideas how to go on!

I hope you have fun reading chapter two!

 **Chapter 02 - Reality**

The next hours they didn't talk. Liz mostly tried to sleep again separating herself from Red with her grey hoodie. She was really peeved at him for his behavior earlier. Unfortunately this wasn't the best precondition to fall asleep again. Her mind was constantly replaying the scenario for her, word for word, detail by detail. Why was he so stubbornly warding every tiny bit of affection she felt for him? Why couldn't he accept that she unintentionally started to care about him? After all it was him who had entered her life out of the blue two years ago; so he should accept that she couldn't ignore someone who outed himself as her lifelong protector, that she deeply cared about his well-being, even if she didn't ask for it. This was a natural reaction… wasn't it?

The lonely road they were driving on seemed to lead them into a more animated area. When they arrived at a little gas station linked to a diner, Red indicated they were to stop there. After he had parked the car he turned to look at her.

"Are you going to talk to me or would you prefer to remain silent for the rest of the day?" he asked, in a slightly provocative tone. There was no answer. "Well, If I were you I would really consider breaking your silence, because then I could tell the waitress what kind of coffee I preferred for breakfast," he teased, and stared at her hooded form. Liz shifted in her seat and looked at him with one raised brow, the tiniest shadow of a smile forming around the corner of her mouth - but she still held back on answering.

He knew by then that he got her. Behaving in typical Reddington style he slightly tilted his head to the side. Raising one eyebrow, he gave her a challenging look.

"So, I would decode that expression as an indecisive inner battle with yourself. You're right now considering whether you should give in to the bright prospect of a delicious hot cup of coffee or hang on to stay fed up with me, which I think you can't keep up much longer anyway." He analyzed her while he unstrapped himself from his seatbelt.

"Don't you even dare think that you somehow know me, Red!" she exclaimed, pretending to be completely untouched but unstrapping herself as well. "And don't try to be funny," she said a little louder, since Red had stepped out of the car. He walked around it to open Liz's door, but she got to it first and almost slammed the door provocatively. She was now standing right in front of him and gave him an annoyed look.

"I count that as a yes for the coffee," Red said contently, smiling down at her.

"Yes, you're right!" Liz approved. "For the coffee, not for you!" With that she abandoned him and headed for the diner.

"For all I care," he muttered, still smiling.

Before he followed her inside, he went to the trunk and retrieved a cellphone, his cap, and a gun, which he stashed in the inside pocket of his black jacket. While he approached the diner, he quickly dialed Dembe's number. The man immediately answered his phone.

"Dembe, it's me. This is the number you can reach me at for now. We can talk later. Be safe!" he stated shortly. He had already hung up when he entered the small restaurant, searching for Lizzie, who had sat down at the table in the very back of the room.

Lizzie saw him come in and had to quickly smother a grin. This was exactly how she reacted every time he wore that cap. It didn't really match with the classical style he normally preferred. He even wore black jeans now. Dressed all in black, he was seemingly younger and more agile. She wasn't sure yet if she liked it better or not.

"What are you so amused about, if I may ask?" he asked when he had approached her table and sat down in front of her.

"Your clothes," she simply stated. "It's just… odd!"

"Well Lizzie, I'm afraid if I wore one of my exquisite - and if I may add very expensive - suits, I imagine that we wouldn't stay unrecognized for very long," he said in his usual‚ flamboyant, style. "And by the way, do you see me complaining about your gangster, street-style clothing?" he asked dryly, eyeing her hooded face. "I would also prefer to sit in a noble restaurant with you wearing that breathtaking red dress… but, well, I'm afraid we have to settle for this - at least for now," he added with a smirk, his eyes meeting hers.

She didn't know how to reply to that and simply stared back at him. Breathtaking? Did he mean it or was he just being funny? When she didn't respond, his smile grew even brighter. He had caught her off guard.

"Did you already choose something?" The waitress who had arrived at their table asked her question absent-mindedly.

"Oh yes, I would like to have two cups of coffee - no, no, rather, a pot of coffee with two cups for both of us and…" his eyes darted over the menu. "…and a breakfast house special, whatever that might be. Do you have something to add, darling?" He addressed Liz as a matter of course and her jaw dropped open in absolute disbelief.

She knew he just wanted to tease her and pay her back for her bad mood earlier, but somehow his remark had sent a chill down her spine and right into her stomach. She could have sworn that her cheeks were getting the slightest bit warmer. This man was brazen beyond belief. She cleared her throat.

"Uhmmm…" she mumbled, slightly baffled. She tore herself away from his amused but intense gaze and quickly glanced at the menu. "I'll just take the scrambled eggs with bacon. Thank you," she said shortly.

The waitress scribbled down their orders and then vanished behind the counter into the kitchen.

"Are you insane!?" she hissed at him under her breath.

"Well, as best as I can judge myself… no! Why are you asking?" Red asked nonchalantly.

"Well, you just displayed me as your girlfriend or whatever, if you missed that!" she hissed at him again, her eyes throwing daggers at him.

"Girlfriend, wife, whatever… I was just getting into character. Why do you even mind it, Lizzie? You will never see that woman again, so why be so fuddy-duddy, huh?" he asked, not feeling guilty in the least while smiling at her dumbfounded expression.

"Character? I… you are really… exhausting!" Liz said slowly, shaking her head.

He still smiled his presumptuous smile. "Is the idea so inconceivable?" he asked suddenly and disarmingly. He adopted a serious expression as he leaned forward slightly to stare at her intensely.

Again, Liz was speechless. She just swallowed hard and tried to hold his gaze. She scrunched her eyebrows and searched his eyes for an explanation.

Suddenly his wide smirk reappeared. "Oh Lizzie! Now I'm really hurt!" He grinned. "Come on, I'm just joking, where is your sense of humor?" He laughed.

Liz leaned back and just watched him wearily, mouth wide open. Suddenly something in the corner of her eye caught her attention. To her right and above their heads was a small TV. It was muted but constantly broadcasting the news. She nearly gasped when she saw her own face staring down at her. The news banner read: 'Have you seen this woman? Please call 911!'

"…Red?" she whispered, on alert, staring at the monitor. Everything in her grew stiff. Reality hit her again with full force.

Red's smile disappeared immediately. Alarmed, he turned in his seat to look at the screen. When he turned back to her, his expression was serious. He tried to make her look at him, searching for her gaze.

"Lizzie… Lizzie don't panic!" he said gently. "Nobody here will recognize you from that picture!"

Liz didn't seem convinced and observed the two other patrons in the diner anxiously.

"But what if they do?" she asked timidly, her voice hushed. "Maybe the waitress… she's seen my face!" Now Liz really started to panic. She seemed to be on the verge of storming heedlessly out of the diner.

"Lizzie, look at me!" Red leaned forward as far as the small table would allow. "Just look at me!" He tried to calm her, using his deep baritone voice as a soothing mechanism. Red reached over and held onto her shoulders, slightly squeezing them. Slowly she raised her eyes to his.

"That's my girl, don't panic, everything is going to be fine!" he assured her. "You will draw more attention to us if you behave like a nervous wreck; you are an agent, remember?" he said, smiling at her affectionately. He let his hands glide down her arms and brought her hands up onto the table with the same motion. He held them tight, his thumbs steadily stroking the backs of her hands. She instinctually clung to his warm fingers, searching for support, just as her eyes were doing, agitatedly switching focus between Red's pupils.

Red held her gaze, smiling sympathetically.

Liz let out a breath that she wasn't even aware she was holding. He was right. If she stormed out like a thief caught red-handed, she would surely attract attention. She slowly nodded in agreement and released her hands from his, but not without squeezing them briefly one last time. Taking a few deep breaths, she pulled her hoodie deep over her face and leaned back again.

The waitress reappeared with a tray and arranged it on the table, mumbling a monotone "Enjoy your meal." However when she headed for the other tables, Red instantly called her back.

"Oh, sweetie, would you do me favor please? Unfortunately we have to leave this cozy place just a bit earlier than intended. Would you be so nice as to wrap up the food for us? We don't want to miss out on this delightful taste…" he almost purred at her and got an irritated "…of course, Sir," from her. Grabbing the tray again, she made her way back into the kitchen. She seemed visibly bugged out by the behavior of the odd couple.

Liz nervously twitched one strand of her hair until the waitress returned with a bag containing their food and two big coffee-to-go cups. She held her head down while Red thanked the waitress effusively. After he had paid and bade farewell, he offered her his hand to help her stand up. She willingly took it and they headed for the door, his hand now on the small of her back.

When they were again sitting in the car, Lizzie cringed visibly. "Could you just… drive, please?" she quietly asked, not yet ready to remove the hood that was covering most of her face. With a worried look, Red left the parking place.

After ten minutes of driving, he pulled over to the right and stopped on the soft shoulder.

"Lizzie, are you okay?" he asked softly. When she gave no answer, he carefully leaned over and slowly drew back the hood just a little bit, exposing her mouth and nose. When she didn't recoil, he carefully pulled a bit more away from her face, revealing big, teary eyes that were staring up at him. Deep concern settled over his face. "Lizzie…" he whispered with his deep, intense voice. He did not remove her hood completely, giving her the chance to withdraw herself anytime that she wanted.

"I'm sorry Red, I just… wasn't prepared for this…" she started, her voice quiet and raspy. "Don't be, Lizzie!" he said before she could go on.

He looked at her apprehensively; his hand that had pushed back the hood was now lying calmly on her left shoulder. He turned his body just a little more, expanding his seatbelt almost uncomfortably to reach for her cheek and jaw-bone with his other hand. Before he touched her skin he waited a split second for her to stave off his touch. When she didn't turn away he let his fingers lightly stroke her soft skin. Within the same movement he pushed a strand of loose hair behind her ear. She had dropped her eyes downwards. With one last thumb-stroke he nudged her face in his direction, making her look at him again. He smiled at her encouragingly. She faintly remembered him touching her like this before when she was recovering her childhood memories. He'd always been so empathetic with her. Anytime she had needed his comfort he'd been there just like he was now, she thought to herself, one single tear escaping her right eye. And she… she had always pushed him away once she felt better. Another tear followed the first and she realized she was about to start to cry.

"Could you please just hold me?" she murmured almost inaudibly.

With one single move he unfastened his seatbelt and leaned over to put his right arm around her shoulders. His other hand encased the back of her head protectively. Liz immediately leaned in, grasping his arm with her right hand and pressed her forehead against his collarbone. A single sob escaped her throat.

"Shhh, it's okay, I'm here," he whispered, his cheek resting against the top of her head.

They stayed like this for about a minute until Liz moved her head slightly, her cheek now resting on his chest. She remembered the moment when Red had showed her the Sorento music box and he had held her just like this.

She wasn't really sure what she should think about his behavior. Back then it was so easy to believe that he was just comforting her because he wanted something from her in the end. But now she knew the truth: that he never wanted more than her safety, and only for her own sake. And yet at a moment's notice he could be both caring and comforting, or he rejected all affection. She wondered why he was allowing these moments to occur every now and then. Was he just giving in to… something? She lay completely still in his arms, enjoying the warmth and comfort of his presence. She was once again glad to have him around.

When he held her he could feel her heartbeat thrum gently through her body. He closed his eyes. How could he have rejected her quiet plea to simply hold her? It was too hard for him to bear seeing her so devastated. He tried to remember when his relationship with Liz got out of his control. It had neither been the moment when he brought Tom into her life nor the day when he had turned himself in to the FBI. No, it was the instant he had decided to not tell her the truth. He hated that his life was so attached to hers; she didn't deserve this kind of burden. Because that's what he was - a burden. And yet here he was, holding and comforting her like he wasn't the person that had turned her life upside down. He all at once felt strongly torn. 'That's my punishment.' he thought, trying to savor this moment of comfort and rare physicality.

Suddenly Liz pulled back from his embrace just as if she had woken from a nightmare. She leaned back and cleared her throat, slightly embarrassed.

"Thank you," she stated simply, keeping her gaze cast downward.

'No, thank you,' he wanted to say, but instead subdued it and just aspirated a "You're welcome."

He unconsciously imitated her reaction and cleared his throat. After a short pause he found his wit again.

"So, how about a cold coffee and a sticky breakfast?" he asked cheerfully.

Liz raised her head and rolled her eyes at him, smiling.

TBC

What do you think? Let me know in your reviews! The next chapter is going to be more eventful than the first two. See you next week (hopefully)! ;-)


	3. Decisions

Hey guys, I'm really sorry I already couldn't keep my promise to post one chapter a week. RL is really keeping me busy for I'm preparing my MA-degree-film-project at the moment! ;) This chapter is a little bit shorter than the first two but it contains more action! So please let me know if you still like the story line! :)

For everyone living in america: HAVE FUN watching the first episode of the third season of TBL tonight! I'm going to watch it tomorrow morning! *jumping up and down* :D

So here we go!

 **Chapter 03 - Decisions**

Red's cell phone buzzed as they finished their improvised breakfast. Even though it had been lukewarm, the coffee helped Lizzie to clear her mind. She would have to keep her emotional outbursts under control if she wanted their escape to succeed. After all, it was not only her safety at stake. She looked over at Red as he went to answer the phone.

He just listened to the voice on the other end without replying, very focused on what was being said. Liz watched him expectantly.

"Yes, I think we can manage to get there by tonight," was the first sentence he spoke. He leaned over to open the glove box. Liz quickly turned her knees to the side but the glovebox touched her legs nonetheless. Red grabbed the map that lay folded in the box, the phone still pressed to his ear. He tried to unfold it but had trouble doing it properly as he had only one free hand so Liz reached over to help him, holding one edge so that Red was able to simply swing it open. Once open he stared at it, searching for something.

"I found it. Yes, we'll try to get there as quickly as possible. Thank you," he said shortly, and hung up.

"That was Dembe. He informed me that Nathaniel's found new lodgings for us. We should get there by dusk if we're quick. Fortunately, we don't have to cross a national border. It was hard enough to escape from D.C," he said, his business side reasserting itself. He started the car engine once again.

Just before he released the handbrake, Liz grabbed for it, placing her hand on it before he could. "I'm driving!" Liz said matter-of-factly, opening her door. "Get up!" She walked around the car and opened the driver's side door. "Come on Red, you drove the whole night, you should get some rest," she said when he didn't move. "Red, get out now!"

"Very well then," he said, slowly getting up from his seat "But don't think that I'll be sleeping. I'm like a machine when it comes to situations like this!" He took his place in the passenger seat. "I'm able to stay awake for far more than forty-eight hours straight!" he went on, fastening his seat belt.

"Yeah, right!" Liz scoffed, raising one eyebrow. "Just tell me the route and I'll get us there."

Twenty minutes later, Red was fast asleep, his head leaning on the hand of his right arm, which he had propped on the window. Liz had grinned wildly when she noticed he was falling asleep.  
'Like a machine, huh? So much for that!' she thought to herself, already preparing a witty remark that she could throw in his stuck-up face when he woke up later.

Every now and then she looked over at him from the corner of her eye. It was not the first time that she had seen him fast-asleep since going on the run, but every time she had witnessed it, she had observed how his features and his posture relaxed in a way she had never seen while he was awake, even in rare stress-free situations. She wondered if he had entirely lost the ability, the luxury, to be completely laid back over the years - years that he had mostly spent feeling stress, agitation, grief and maybe even fear. To live half a life with constant exertion had to have been hard. She could only remotely conceive how draining it must have been for him. And maybe she was well on the way to becoming just like him.

It was late afternoon when Liz stopped the car again. 5:53pm, read the clock on the dashboard. Her stomach was growling and she had to take a look at the map again, just to check if she was still on the right track. When she put on the hand brake after stopping, Red started to move slightly in his seat.

When he finally opened his eyes, his neck felt stiff and cramped. He looked around to find the driver's seat vacant. He then heard Liz sifting through the contents of the trunk. When she came back, she handed him a bottle of water and a paper bag that included two sandwiches.

"Thanks," he rasped, his voice still gritty from sleep. He opened the bottle and took a swig of water. "So, how far until our destination?" he asked, not speaking a single word about his sleeping for over two hours.

"Well as far as I can tell, we have to drive for about another sixty miles until we arrive," she said, unfolding the map between their two seats again. "We should be around this area right now." She traced the region on the map with her finger.

"Good! So nothing extraordinary happened?" he asked, watching her finger trace the map.

"You mean apart from you falling asleep?" she joked before adding, "Mr. Machine, who never falls asleep…" She smirked slightly when he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Would you mind giving me one of the sandwiches? I'm starving!" she asked, still smirking, reaching out her hand demandingly.

Red opened the bag and grimaced when he looked inside.

"Would you prefer the one with the wishy-washy piece of grey meat, or the one with the neon yellow junk that seems to be cheese?" he asked, looking at her inquiringly.

She leaned towards him and examined the dubious items of sustenance, her shoulder touching his. With her left forefinger she hooked open the bag a little more.

"Well, uhmmm, I think I'll take the cheesy one, for cheese rounds out a meal nicely, doesn't it?" she states jokingly.

"It's a shame to even call that lump cheese!" he answered, handing her the sandwich.

"I don't care," she said nonchalantly before she greedily bit into it.

"I think I have to suggest that Nathaniel attach more importance to the food he gets for us," Red stared at his piece of bread. "Well, then: bon appétit!"

Red had offered to drive the rest of the distance but Liz insisted on staying in the driver's seat. An hour after their questionable meal, they had almost reached their new lodgings. The house they drove to lay rather secluded on a small hill. According to Nathaniel's statement the owners only lived there a few months out of the year and right now nobody should be around.

Lizzie drove up the twisting road that lead them through a little wood and after a few turns the little house surrounded by some old fir trees appeared. Only a long twisting road that lead up to it, separated them from the property.

"So, here we are!" Liz said gladly, and aimed the car towards the property.

"Stop!"

Startled, Liz slowed down the car.

"Turn around, now!" Red ordered urgently. Without asking, Liz obeyed. When she had turned the car, Red quickly leaned over, tossing the car into neutral, pulling on the hand brake, and then shut down the engine completely. They jerked to an abrupt halt. "Turn the lights off, now," he pushed.

Liz did as he said. "What the hell is going on, Red?" she asked and looked at his face in the dark with wide eyes.

"It looks like we were expected."

"What?" She turned her head and stared through the window as well. "How… how is that possible?" she stuttered.

Red didn't answer but reached into the backseat and grabbed for something that turned out to be another gun. He handed it to her. When she looked out the window again, she could see a few tiny lights distributed around the house that seemed to be flashlights.

"I only know that someone is faster that we are," he said in a displeased tone, revealing his own gun.

"Lizzie, could you just taxi the car down the hill again? Maybe they haven't noticed us yet. Can you drive with just the parking light turned on?" Red asked.

"Yeah, of course…" she mumbled.

"And don't start the motor yet - just loosen the handbrake and let the car roll down the hill!" he ordered.

Slowly the car started to roll down the inclined road. While Liz nervously steered the car downwards, wishing they could move faster, Red was still turned in his seat, intently observing the surroundings. Everything was so damn quiet.

"That stuff in the trunk, is it still inside the big bag?" Red asked without taking his eyes away from the window.

He still seemed so calm. Liz looked at him and wondered how he managed to remain this steady. "Yes, everything is still in there," she answered quietly.

"Good," he simply stated.

Suddenly the noise of several motors starting at nearly the same time atop the hill was heard.

"Okay Lizzie, step on it!" Red commanded, turning back around in his seat. "Head for the town, as fast as you can!"

Liz immediately did as she was told, started the motor and accelerated forcefully down the hill.

"The town? But aren't there far too many people?" Liz asked, slightly panicked, when she reached the plain again. At the crossroads at the foot of the hill she turned left with breakneck speed and almost slid to the right side, as if she were in the movies. She headed for the lights of the small town. When she looked into the rear-view mirror she could not yet see their pursuers. Good! Liz took the best out of the car. She really hoped that they wouldn't pass a speed trap. She could only imagine that an FBI photo of the both of them was in the local police office. The adrenaline was now kicking in and the panic she had felt moments before was slowly fading.

"What happens when we reach the town?" she asked, not taking her eyes from the road.

"Improvisation!"

"Okay!"

From previous law enforcement partners she would have never accepted such an answer, but in Red she absolutely trusted, so she just drove on.

Just before they reached the first houses they could see the spotlights of two or three cars in the far distance.

"They are still rather far away; we should make it," Red said, taking out his phone.

"Dembe? We almost drove into an ambush at the house and are instead heading for the town now. We'll try to go into hiding as fast as possible but I'm afraid we need to leave the country earlier than planned… yes… thank you, Dembe! I'll call you later from another number."

He hung up without another word, opened the case of the phone, and proceeded to remove the SIM card. He then opened the window and threw the cell phone out.

Meanwhile Liz had entered the city and was now constrained to adapt her speed to the traffic. The streets were ablaze with light and everywhere big posters were suspended, promoting a big, entertaining fair.

"Perfect!" Red exclaimed, the shadow of a smile on his face.

"A parish fair? There will be thousands of people; I don't see how this could be perfect," Liz said, sounding slightly worried once again, when she had to stop the car due to a red light.

"Believe me, Lizzie, many people milling around is the best thing that could have happened to us right now," Red answered while taking off his jacket and rolling up the sleeves of his black button down shirt.

The light turned green again.

"Just follow the posters as quickly as you can. I really hope there's a big parking lot where we can more or less make the car disappear. I hope our little search party wouldn't expect that," he added while grabbing his cap from the backseat, which he then carefully placed on Liz's blonde mane.

"Quite completes the look, I think!" he said with wink when he saw the slightly puzzled look on her face. He reached towards her once again and put the strands of hair behind her ear that were now, due to the hat pushing them down, almost blocking her view. A barely visible smile appeared on her lips.

She rushed the car through the rather narrow streets, following the signs that indicated the way to the fair until she spotted the first sign which hinted at a parking area.

TBC

Let me know what you think in your reviews! :)


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